


Bloodstained

by jookboxheroes



Category: Revolution (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-07
Updated: 2014-05-07
Packaged: 2018-01-23 21:39:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1580465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jookboxheroes/pseuds/jookboxheroes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Charlie tries to cope with the death of Jason on her own, but she just can't seem to escape her (annoying, loud, clomping-around-the-wilderness-like-an-idiot) tail. Takes place post 2.18.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bloodstained

Charlie sat in the deathly quiet of evening, her back shoved against the rough stone foundation of yet another dilapidated ruin. She drew her knees up to her chest, lazily reaching out to pluck blades of grass from the ground, carefully ripping them apart as she contemplated all of the blood on her hands. She’d now officially washed the blood of everyone she ever loved off her hands. Miles and Mom excluded. Her father’s was the easiest – she supposed because there was purpose in her actions. She didn’t have time to grieve, getting Danny back was the priority. She thought back to those days – was it really that long ago? 

She was startled out of her reverie by some moron stomping through the wilderness behind her. “Connor, what the hell are you doing?” 

“How did you know it was me?” He walked around to face her, then settled himself in the grass a few feet away. He seemed to sense her skittishness, so he didn’t try and come closer. 

“You always stumble around like you’re lost, that’s how. Do they not have woods in Mexico, or what?” 

“Ah, you know me, I’m more of a city boy.” He chuckled quietly, then settled into silence. 

“Are you waiting for me to talk or what?” Charlie asked roughly, wondering why he’d even bothered to come find her if he wasn’t going to say anything. 

“Nah. I mean, you don’t need to. I saw you brush Rachel off earlier.” 

“Yeah, that’s because my mom’s emotionally stunted.” 

“Really?”

“Yup.” 

They listened to a raccoon rustle around just beyond the twilight. Charlie’s breathing became harsher as her eyes watered. She reached up to wipe a few stray tears away with a rough hand. 

“When Danny died, I covered him with my jacket to try and stop the bleeding.”

“Your brother?”

“Yeah. He was shot. By your dad’s helicopters, by the way.”

“I’m sorry.” Connor’s guilt was evident in his expression. For a bastard, he sure had a lot of moral angst. 

“I remember debating whether to try and wash the blood out afterward or to just burn the jacket along with Danny. I ended up just wearing it. Blood and all. After a while it wore out, but still – “ Her voice cracked as the tears started again. “Still it felt like I had a bit of him with me. Giving me strength, you know?”

Charlie looked up, catching Connors eyes with a fierce look that told him this bout of honesty was rare, and probably never going to happen again. 

“Blood is life. That’s why it doesn’t bother me, never has. But Jason?” Her breathing hitched as she sucked in the air, trying so desperately to stay grounded. 

“His blood felt wrong. It was so sticky and warm and seeping into me. I’ve killed lots of people, but I have never felt like a killer before. It’s like his blood was staining my soul or something.” 

She saw Connor reach out slightly – she nodded, giving him permission to hold her. He encircled her, and she felt her energy draining away with her confession. He didn’t say anything, just held her, waited for her to talk. 

“Before I was this person, this – this soldier, he knew me. The young me, the one who kept postcards of cities that aren’t even there anymore. He was, I don’t know. He was better, more real then, too. When I looked into his eyes – they were always honest, even when he lied right to my face. The man I shot – those eyes were empty. He was gone. It’s like he was already dead.”

She couldn’t keep talking any longer. Charlie just buried her face in Connor’s arms and cried. Let the floodgates open. For Jason. For Danny. For her father. For her own innocence. 

“If he was already dead – “ She gasped “why do I feel like this?”

“Because you wanted to save him. You loved him.” 

“Love is a big responsibility.” She said doubtfully. 

“Exactly. That’s why this hurts so much.” Connor replied. 

“Am I going to turn into Monroe?” She whispered fearfully, unaware of the pang of pain it must have caused Connor. 

He shifted her hair over her shoulder so he could look her in the eye. 

“Never. My dad – it’s his ambition that makes him so dangerous. He’s motivated by greed. He just wants things – Miles, the Republic, me at his side. You are motivated by something totally different. You want to help people. I don’t think someone like you could ever turn into someone like that.” 

Charlie sniffled and reached up to wipe her nose with her sleeve. The tears had gradually dried up, and she cracked a small smile, gruffly quipping “Buddy I think you got the wrong girl here. I’m no hero.” 

He laughed. “We’ll see.” 

“Bet you didn’t know I was so poetic, huh?” 

“I have a feeling there’s a lot of things I don’t know about you.” Connor admitted freely. 

“That’s true,” She replied. 

They remained that way a while longer, just breathing in the crisp evening air in the aftermath of their first honest conversation. As the stars began to peek out of the night sky, Connor sighed and removed his arms from around her. Charlie sucked in a quick breath as the chill hit her. He stood and reached down to help Charlie up. 

“Food?” She asked in her usual short and direct demeanor. 

“Yup.” 

“Alright.” She accepted his outstretched arm and they headed through the trees towards the tiny lights of the campfires ahead.


End file.
